UPU emerged from a realization: Fasitua had never encountered the extraordinary work of the Pacific’s most celebrated poets, despite many years experience as a professional actor, until he met his future collaborator Grace Taylor. 

He wondered how could these world-renowned voices, our voices, remain invisible to him when he considered himself immersed in the performing arts? The answer was qutie simple: poetry  and poets tend to exist in academic cirlces and spaces outside the theatre. The theatre is where Fasitua hung out. 

He also doesnt read poetry. He saw an opportunity: get skilled actors to bring those poems to life in the theatre for people who like him, like to sit the dark and watch a performance. 

And so with Grace Taylor they created UPU - a live performance weaving together the works of over 20 celebrated poets from across the Moana; Selina Tusitala Marsh, Tusiata Avia, Ben Brown, Albert Wendt, Leilani Tamu and many more. 

Set against visuals, sound,light and performed by actors, the poetry becomes an emotional awakening, carrying the weight, joy, and resilience of our Pacific people. After stunning audiences from Aotearoa to Mexico City to a sell out at the Sydney Opera House, UPU now embarks on its most ambitious journey yet: an eight-city Canadian tour in 2026.  

This book captures the journey so far from the Collective's multiple tours. The UPU Collective are so grateful to the poets for giving us permission to publish their works and the photographers for capturing the essence of the show.